Just said because of construction schedules, some of the mall’s retailers will open in 2018.

The project’s contractor, Ryan Cos., is expected to turn over the property to New England Development in the next few weeks, which means retailers can get started building out their spaces, he said.

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TJ Just, manager of the Outlets of Des Moines, said the mall is on scheduled to open Oct. 20 in Altoona.(Photo: Brian Powers/The Register)

Just moved into his new offices at the mall two weeks ago.

He had been operating out of a temporary trailer since he was named general manager in April.

Just came to the outlet mall from Southbridge Mall in Mason City, where he was general manager. He had worked for commercial real estate services company Jones Lang LaSalle in Chicago, which also previously managed the Mason City mall.

Just believes shopping malls, and specifically value centers like outlet malls, are still viable despite the proliferation of online shopping.

“Consumers still want to touch and feel things before they buy,” he said. “Retail cycles keep changing and malls that survive have to adapt and change.”

Competing in a challenging retail environment requires that malls do more than sell goods, experts say.

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Learn more about the new Altoona outlet mall that is set to open later this year.
Aaron Young/The Register

“The biggest driver … in today's retail environment is experiential retail,” said Tyler Dingel, a first vice president with CBRE/Hubbell Commercial. “In today's world of instant gratification and consumers having direct access to the deepest discounts the market can provide at the touch of a button, retailers and shopping centers need to find a reason for consumers to not only visit the store, but to stay awhile.”

The outlet mall is part of the 175-acre Shoppes at Prairie Crossing development south of Bass Pro Shop. Heart of America Group, headed by Quad Cities businessman Mike Whalen, is hoping to bring in more retail, hotels, restaurants and residential units to Prairie Crossing.

The first tenant at the site was Johnny's Italian Steakhouse.

A 107-room Fairfield Inn recently opened on the property and there are plans to build a Home 2 Suites by Hilton with 109 rooms that would open in summer 2018. Multi-family housing also is part of the project.

A 38,000-square-foot retail center consisting of two buildings on the south end of the property along Hubbell Avenue is under construction.

Retail begets more retail, Dingel said.

"Retailers definitely like to stick close together. The traffic and consumer base created by the outlet mall will have other retailers, large and small, looking at how they might fit into the overall picture," he said.

The continued development at Prairie Crossing, including the outlet mall, will increase demand for retail, service and construction workers.

Just estimated that about 800 full- and part-time workers will be needed when the outlet mall is fully staffed.

The mall will hold a job fair beginning at 8 a.m. Sept. 6 at the nearby Prairie Meadows casino and racetrack.

In other mall updates:

Julie Dawson has been hired as the outlet mall’s marketing director. Dawson previously was event coordinator for the Altoona Chamber of Commerce. She also has worked for Mercy College of Health Sciences, Southeast Polk Community School District and Integer Group Midwest.

Julie Dawson has been named marketing director for the Outlets of Des Moines in Altoona.(Photo: Special to the Register)

Just said he is talking with DART officials about extending bus service to the outlet mall. DART already has bus service to Altoona.

Outlets of Des Moines will hold a charity night on Oct. 19 in which people buying a $20 ticket will get access to the mall the day before it opens to the public. The mall is selling 5,000 tickets and 100 percent of the cost of the tickets benefit the charities. Charities wanting to participate by selling tickets should contact Julie Dawson at jdawson@nedevelopment.com.